The Donati Luxury Tower has its roots in the heart of medieval Florence, within one of the oldest and most fascinating buildings in the historic city centre. Its origins date back to the 11th–12th century, when the city was characterised by a dense network of noble towers, symbols of the prestige, wealth, and power of Florence’s most important families.

Originally, there were two towers: the Donati Tower and the Ricci Tower, each belonging to a powerful Florentine family. Standing less than one metre apart, they rose to a height of approximately 70–80 metres, dominating the city skyline of Florence. At that time, the height of a tower represented the prestige of the family that owned it, while also serving as an effective defensive structure during the frequent conflicts between rival factions.

The Donati Tower belonged to the renowned Donati family, one of the most influential families of medieval Florence and a key player in the city’s political life. The same family was also connected to Gemma Donati, wife of Dante Alighieri, the Supreme Poet, whose link to this area of the city adds even greater charm and historical significance to the location.

Like many Florentine towers, the Donati Tower was also involved in the bloody conflicts between the Guelphs and Ghibellines, the two factions that fought for centuries over control of the city, leaving a profound mark on Florence’s history and architecture.

Around the middle of the 13th century, the two towers came under the control of a consortium of important local families and were merged into a single structure, creating the building that can still be admired today. Among the families involved were the Ghiberti, prominent figures in the economic and political life of medieval Florence.

Over the centuries, the Tower has remained a silent witness to the city’s transformation, observing the birth of the Renaissance and the passage of some of the most illustrious figures in Florentine history. At its feet walked Dante Alighieri, Arnolfo di Cambio, Filippo Brunelleschi, Lorenzo Ghiberti, and many other protagonists who helped make Florence one of the world’s greatest centres of art and culture.

Today, the Donati Luxury Tower preserves the timeless charm of its thousand-year history, offering guests a unique experience: staying inside an authentic medieval tower, in the heart of Florence’s historic centre, where almost a thousand years of history, art, and architecture blend with the comfort and elegance of contemporary hospitality.

Every stone of the Tower tells the story of Florence and continues, still today, to preserve the beating heart of the city.